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Using a Blog to Promote Your Brick and Mortar Business

Feb 12th, 2010
by Diane Watkins.
4 comments

Using a Blog to Promote Your Brick and Mortar Business

Promote your local business with a blog.

Promote your local business with a blog., Photo by tedhosmann.

Most every business can benefit from a blog or company website. Most companies will put up a small site that gives details about their business such as location and hours. But your company site could be doing far more to promote your business.

Let us look at a few specific examples of how brick and mortar business could be using a blog.

Promote Local Florist with a Blog

Most florists use a website to display examples of arrangements for sale, but few local florists use their sites to benefit their local businesses. A well-written blog with excellent photos could bring in a lot of business to a local florist.

When a teenager needs to order a corsage for prom, he will usually google for information. A local florist will come up high in the listings if there is an article available on the subject he is interested in. He wants to know the significance of each flower, how to match the flowers to the dress, which flowers are most popular today, and how much will it cost.  Well-written articles with lots of pictures that answer the question of teens ordering flowers for the first time will get noticed and bring buyers into your shop.

Promote Your Local Daycare Center With a Blog

A day care center can use a blog or website to keep parents up on what is going on in the classroom. What is the class studying this week, what is the lunch menu, when is the field trip? Post the qualifications of your teachers and information about the activities the kids will be doing.

These kinds of posts take a while to produce and must be kept updated, but they show parents the quality of your program and allow prospective parents to learn about your program without visiting. Articles about what to look for in a quality program, and how your program exceeds these requirements, will do most of the selling before prospective parents ever walk in the door.

Be careful never to post information about the kids or their names unless the area is behind a password protected area for the parents only.

How Could Your Business Use a Blog?

Write about the hottest trends and latest products in your industry and answer the questions that your customer might have.  I will give more specific examples tomorrow. Do you have a specific business you would like me to address? Leave a comment and I will try to answer you in a future post.

Posted in: Business Promotion.
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How to Be Recognized as an Expert

Feb 10th, 2010
by Diane Watkins.
2 comments
Be the News Expert

Be the News Expert, photo by captsolo

It is important for a business person to be an expert in his own field, and most people will accept you as an expert simply because you are in the business. But being accepted as an expert and being the recognized expert are two different things.

Why do certain business people always get mentioned in the media, when other more knowledgeable experts go without notice?  It is not because of their vast knowledge, but because they are recognized or known by the media.

Promote Your Business

A mention in the newspaper or on the local news is valuable to the promotion of your business. People will want to ask your opinion or hang around you because of your success in the media. They will want to give you their business because they perceive you as an expert and as a successful person.

So how can you get that valuable free publicity? How can you get your foot in that door? Begin a media campaign designed to get that recognition and become the go-to expert in your field.

Make Yourself Known

If you know any writers for the TV or the newspapers, you are probably already aware of their constant need for sources. You are doing them a favor by making yourself available when a quote is needed.

Introduce yourself to writers whenever you have the opportunity. Exchange business cards.  Let them know that you are available, but don’t blow your own horn. Instead, just be helpful.

Write a letter to the editor of your local paper. Tell them about your business and let them know that you are available as an expert, if they might need you. Never waste their time, and don’t harass them. Just be quietly available.

Stay on top of business developments in your field. Whenever anything newsworthy crops up, give the reporter or editor a quick call. Leave a message letting them know about current developments and why it would make a good story. If it turns into a news report, you will be recognized as a source.

Be quick to return calls from reporters. The first person to answer the phone will likely be quoted.

If you have not already done so, sign up with HARO (Help a Reporter Out). See my recent post for more information on this free service.

Give back to the community:

Share your expertise with your church or community group. Become known for taking action and being a problem solver in your field.

Teach a class on your business or industry and give it your best effort. Teachers are recognized as experts, and the process of teaching requires you to explain your industry in a way that anyone can understand.  Make sure that your class is advertised and issue a press release about it from your business as well.

Be in the Business of Helping Others

Marketing your business is as simple as getting your name out there. Usually the best results are obtained when others recommend you or recognize you as an expert. Be in the business of helping others and let them toot your horn for you.

Need a Writer?

Do you need a writer to help promote your business online, put together that course or write a press release. I am available at very reasonable rates. Check out my resume and Hire Me page.

Posted in: Business Promotion.
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The Viral Value of a Satisfied Customer

Feb 8th, 2010
by Diane Watkins.
No comments yet

By Diane Watkins

It seems obvious that you should strive to always satisfy your customers; however, many businesses ignore this very simple principle. Your existing customers are your most valuable asset, you must take care of them.

Satisfied customers will refer others to your site. This is more valuable than any advertising that you can buy. Research shows that referrals from existing customers are far more valuable than search engine referrals to your business.

Further, a dissatisfied customer can spread poison over your sales. The internet spreads your reputation as fast as the click of a mouse.

The lifetime value of your customer is far more than the value of the first sale. Satisfying your customers is a continual process. Check up with them to be sure that they received what they needed. Over deliver on all of your promises. In this way, your customers will ready and willing to buy from you again and again.

The viral value of this customer comes through his willingness to refer others to you. Make it easy for him to refer you. You can give him coupons to use himself and pass on to friends. Offer discounts or even free merchandise when people he refers become your customers. Offer an affiliate program that your satisfied customers can use to refer others to you.

Most people enjoy telling others about good service and products. Make sure that they consider yours to be top quality and they will reward you by telling everyone. A satisfied customer is one of the most valuable forms of viral marketing.

Posted in: Business Promotion.
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Be Writer Friendly- Add a Press Kit to Your Website

Feb 4th, 2010
by Diane Watkins.
1 comment

Does your business produce or sell a physical product? Are you promoting an event? You need a press kit. A press kit will provide all the information a reporter or writer needs to publicize your product or event. Writer are always looking for something to write about, make it easy for them to choose your product.

As an example, I often go out to eat, planning to write a restaurant review.  I get home to find that my pictures didn’t come out quite as well as I would like, so I put off that review and write about something else.  The food was great and I have plenty to write about, but what is a restaurant review without a good picture of the food?

Give me some good quality photos along with permission to use them right there on your website.  I guarantee you, I will be writing about your restaurant while the memory of the meal is still fresh on my tongue.

Placing a copy of the menu on your website helps also. I usually write about what family members and I ate, then I will go over other offerings that sound good on the menu.

Of course, you should still have a hard copy press kit available when it is requested. But for a writer on deadline an online press kit can make all the difference. A version of your press kit should reside on your website. Include your press release, and good high quality pictures of your product and most importantly permission to use them. Give me any other information that I might need to write about your product including available sizes and colors.

Hire a Writer and Photographer

Hire a good copy writer to put together your press kit along with a good photographer. Properly put together, this press kit can be invaluable to your business. Find a writer who can write good descriptive ad copy and a good press release.

Posted in: Business Promotion.

Get Quoted- Promote Your Business by Providing Expert Information

Jan 29th, 2010
by Diane Watkins.
1 comment

Would it help your business if you were quoted in a magazine or newspaper article? Or perhaps interviewed for a local or national news program?

Have you ever wondered where journalists find the experts that they quote in the newspaper and magazine articles? One source reporters use is HARO- Help a Reporter Out. Sign up as a source on HARO and submit pitches to writers and reporters who are looking for sources in your area of expertise.

Whenever a query appears that matches your qualifications, you can submit information as a source. Make sure that you submit quote worthy information that is well written and concise. If the writer uses the information or quotes you, you get instant recognition as an expert and good PR for your business.

Posted in: Business Promotion.
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Promote Your Business by Writing Articles

Jan 28th, 2010
by Diane Watkins.
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Well-written articles related to your business build trust in you and good will toward your business. A well-placed series of helpful articles promotes you as an expert in your field and gains publicity for your business.

Write About Your Business

The articles should be related to your business and provide specific information for potential customers. If you run a nursery and garden supply business, write articles about how to grow and care for the plants that you sell. Lawn care companies can write articles about how to grow a green lawn and care for specific types of grass. A real estate agent might write articles that discuss the advantages of the different neighborhoods in her territory.

When deciding what to write about, think about the questions that you are asked regularly in your business. Write articles that answer these questions for your readers and provide them with valuable information.

Where to Publish Your Articles

The best place to publish your articles is on your own blog and on sites that point back to your blog. If you don’t have a blog, you can publish your articles for free on sites like EzineArticles. At the end of your article, use the bio to publicize yourself and your business. Sites like EzineArticles provide articles for use in newsletters and on sites across the web.

Write a Newspaper Column

If you have time to devote to regular article writing, offer your articles free to your local newspaper as a weekly column. Offering them free increases the chance of publication in newspapers. Your payment is the bio included with the article that publicizes your business.

Write 5 or 6 sample columns and submit them to the editor in charge of the appropriate section along with your column proposal.

Hire a Writer

I know it is self-serving to mention it, but you can hire a writer to produce these articles at a very reasonable rate. Hire a ghostwriter and publish the articles with your name on them. Be sure the information is accurate and represents you well, since your name will be on it. Then get back to work and enjoy the publicity benefits of your articles.

Need a good writer? Contact me at diane [at] diane-watkins.com.

Posted in: Business Promotion, Uncategorized, article writing.
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Use Press Releases to Promote Your Business

Jan 28th, 2010
by Diane Watkins.
No comments yet

When to Use a Press Release

A press release needs to contain newsworthy information, so use it carefully. When you first start your business or release a new product, a press release may get noticed. Is your business sponsoring a charity event or working for a newsworthy cause? Get the word out with a press release.

Where to Use a Press Release

Press releases should be sent to all local papers that might be interested in your story. But don’t stop there. The internet has many sites that publish business-related news and information.

Write articles about your start-up experience that may benefit people interested in starting a similar business. How about an article about the things that worked for you, and another about what does not work? These articles would be of interest to many business minded people and would get notice for your business.

How to Write Your Press Release

While your press release should contain all the facts related to your business, it cannot be a simple recitation of the facts. Instead, write the story of your business. Tell a story. Make it an interesting read that will benefit or entertain the reader. An interesting story will be published and re-published, read and discussed.

Hire a Writer

The best person to tell your story is you. Talk to others close to you and your business. Ask them to share what they feel to be the story of your business. You may gain some insight and find a new angle for your press release.

If you are still having trouble writing the story of your business, hire a writer. Make sure the writer you hire knows that you want more than a simple recitation of facts. Help her find and write your story in a newsworthy way.

Posted in: Business Promotion, Uncategorized.
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Market Your Business Online with a Business Listing

Jan 19th, 2010
by Diane Watkins.
No comments yet

Are you looking to promote your real-world business online? The best free marketing tool for your business is the internet. Creating a buzz requires a little work, but any business can find interested clients on the internet.

The best way to promote your business online is with your own business website, but you do not need a website or blog to promote yourself online. In the coming months I will go into a number of ways to promote your real-world business online.

The first step is to be sure your business has a listing in the search engines. This is easy to do and can be updated regularly to keep the listing current.

Make Your Business Appear in Search Engines

When a client searches for “pizza” he is usually looking for a listing for a local pizza restaurant. If you operate such a business, you need your business to appear in the list, preferably at the top. One way to achieve this is to add your business to the Google Local Business Center. You will need a google account (free) to enter as much information about your business as possible, including a photo if possible. Once you have verified the information, your listing should appear in approximately 12 to 24 hours.

Don’t stop with the google pages. Enter your business with Yellow Pages and other similar directories. This first step may not bring you a lot of extra business, but it will make it easier for customers to find you and contact you for more information.



Posted in: Business Promotion, Uncategorized.
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